To thine own self be true: self-concept and motivation for abstinence among substance abusers.

Individuals approved for public-sector addiction treatment were interviewed regarding their reasons for attempting abstinence. Follow-up interviews were completed 3 to 6 months after participants' removal from county-controlled treatment wait-lists. Rates of continuous self-reported abstinence for 90 days preceding follow-up were positively associated with motivation linked to discrepancies between substance use and self-standards. Characteristics associated with high identity-linked motivation were cocaine preference, a history of reducing self-dissatisfaction through substance use, low rewards and high costs associated with using. and low support for the user identity among significant others. The perception of discrepancies between substance use and self-standards was an effective motivator of abstinence even among those who reported previous use of substances to dampen self-dissatisfaction.